Rim for vehicle-wheels.



7 RES. BRYANT.

' RIM FOR VEHICLE WHEELS-,. APPLr'cAT ou men SEPT. 2. ms.

1 l1 62,5 63; A Patented Nbv. 30, 1915.

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.GPOF'QM I zr/Mm UNITED s'rATEsrATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD S. BRYANT, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARD WELDINGCOMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

RIM FOB. VEHICLE-WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

Application filed September 2, 1913. Serial No. 787,785.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD S. BRYANT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rims fo1'Vehielc-Wheels, of which the following 1s a.

full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to vehicle wheels and has for its general objectthe'provision of an improved form of rim securing means which shall havecertain definite advantages of lightness, cheapness, and convenience ofoperation.

In order to secure demountable rims about their fellies, the felliesare'usually provided with spaced, laterally projectmg'bolts providedwith clips. 'Ordinarily these clips ness of any part thereof; theprovision of a wed o ring having a large areaof contact with tie rim soas to support the same efficiently and permit the rim to be constructedof thinner and lighter metal than heretofore; the provision of a wedgering of maximum strength for its weight; the provision of means forconnecting the wedge ring to the rim so as to reduce the number ofseparate parts required to be handled in manipulating the rim; whilefurther objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds.

Generally speaking, my invention may be defined as consistin" o theconstructions and combinations illustrated in the drawings attachedhereto and accompanyin' and forming part of this application, in w ich;

Figure l is a transversmjoros', sectional view of a felly, rim and tire,show ng the construction and mode of applicationof my wedge ring, andthe line 0 ing 'throu h one'of'tlie securing bolts itf'ogether witTiitScli which is shown in opera tive position, an F ig.2 is a similar viewsection pass- 7 showing the same rim and felly, the clip being shown inretracted position.

The wheel as a whole comprises a circular supporting art, a rim separatetherefrom and adapted to surround the same and to support a tire, andsecuring devices adapted to engage both supporting member and rim andhold them in fixed relation to each other. This supporting member isformed at one side with an outwardly projecting part adapted to engageand support one side of the rim, and at the other side with a portionspaced inwardly from the rim asullicient distance to receive the wedgering of this invention.

Inthe present embodiment the circular 1plart comprises a felly 1, andfelly'band 2 aving at one side the outwardly inclined flange 3 formingthe rim engaging and supportin part and at the other side with the inwarly incline portion 4 adapted to receive the Wed e ring, Other specificconstructionscou d obviously be employed so long as the general featuresabove described are retained. This rim member ordinarily consistsessentially of an annular metallic channel member having a substantiallycylindrical middle portion 5 and an outwardly flared portion. 6 at eachside thereof, one of these flared portions being of a size to seat uponthe supportin part 3 of the supporting member and tie other flaredportion overhanging and spaced from the opposite side of t e supportingmember. In the present embodimentthis rim is illustrated as of thinsheet metal having the portions 6-6 formed by cold rolling the sides ofthe portion 5, suitable seats 7 being also formed for the reception ofcold-rolled, sheet-metal side rings 88. Obviously any desired type ofrim can be employed with my improved wedge ring, but I have chosen theconstruction here illustrated as being thinner and more flexible thanmost and so pointing out most clearly certain advantages in the wed e rng. This wedge rin consists of a sing 0 piece of sheet metal rolled upinto a ring of channel-form in cross section illustrated, and comprisesanintermediate beveled portIOII IO ada ted, to enga e the complementarybevele portion 4 o' the felly 'band. an abutment portion 11 on one sideof this beveledp'ortion for the reception of the clip, a marginalportion 12 outside of this abutment portion and adapted to engage thepermoved -upon occasion but has a convenient in any case since itpermits the,

tion 6 of the rim, and a bracing portion 18 on the opposite of theportion 10 from said abutment 11 and adapted to engage the cylindricalinterior 5 of the rim so as to prevent the ring from being distorted orturned inside out by the strain. The portion 12 of this ring ispreferably complementary in shape to the supporting part 3 of the supporting member, and, in a case like the pres out where the rim is ofthin metal and needs support, is extended laterally sufiiciently toengage a considerable area of the rim..

The portion 5 of the rim is also preferably provided along its outermargin with internal studs 15 which may be either elongated rivet-beadsor separate blocks welded or riveted to the ring. These project into theannular space defined by the portions 11 and 13 of the wedge ring so asto maintain the same in engagement with the rim even when the latter isremoved from the wheel. The width of these studs is less than that ofthe groove so as to permit the necessary relative movement of the parts.The wedge ring is discontinuous which permits it to be retendency toexpand which causes it to enga e said studs and prevents its accidentalThis expedient diminishes the number of parts to be handled andfacilitates the man1 ulation of the rim by a single operator.

A soit maintains the shoulder of the ring sufiicientlv near the side ofthe fell so that no dillicu ty is experienced in app ymg the clipsthereto. This is particularly important if it be desired to employ anautomatic clip as illustrated in these drawings, wherein I have shown aclip of the type'disclosed and claimed in my copending application filedMay 6, 1912, Ser. No. 695,413, and is use of a shorter bolt. However,any suitable or desired type of clip can be. employed without change inthe mode of operation, and many other modifications and variations canbe made without departing from the scope of my invention, as will beobvious.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:--

1. As an article of manufacture, a wedge for securing a demountable rimon a wheel, said wedge consisting of a piece of sheet metal ofchannel-form in cross-section opening outwardly, an intermediate portionof 'said wedge being adapted for engagement with the wheel, one sidethereof being abruptly shouldered and having a flarin portion forengagement with the side 0% the rim, and the other side .ofsaidwedgeforming a bracing portion for engagement with the inner face ofthe'rim..

2."As an article of manufacture, a wedge for securinga demountable'rimona wheel, sa d wedgeconsisting of afring of sheet,

isplacement.

metal of channel-form in cross-section opening outwardly, anintermediate portion of said ring being adapted for engagement with thewheel, one side thereof being abruptly shouldered and having a flaringportion for engagement with the side of the rim, and the other side ofsaid ring forming a bracing portion for engagement with the inner faceof the rim.

3. As an article of manufacture, a wedge for securing a demountable rimon a wheel, said wedge consisting of a ring of sheet metal ofchannel-form in cross-section opening outwardly, an intermediate portionof said ring being beveled so as to be adapted for wedgi-n r engagementwith the wheel, one side thereof being abruptly shouldered and having aflaring portion for engagement with the side of the rim, and the otherside of said ring forming a bracing portion for engagement with theinner face 0 the rim.

n a vehicle wheel, the combination with the wheel-felly and ademountable rim therefor; of awedge for securing said rim on said wheel,said wedge consisting of a piece of sheet metal of channel-form incross-section opening outwardly, an intermediate portion of said wedgebeing adapted for engagement with the wheel, one side thereof beingabruptly shouldered and having a flaring portion for engagement with theside of the rim, and the other side of said wedge forming a bracingportion for engagement with the inner face of the rim.

5. n a vehicle wheel, the combination with a wheel-felly and ademountable rim therefor; of a wed e for securing said rim onsaid wheel,sai 'wedge consisting of a ring of sheet metal of channel-form incrosssection opening outwardly, an intermediate portion of said ringbeing adapted for engagement with the wheel, one side thereof eingabruptly shouldered and having a flaring portion for engagement with theside of the rim, and the other side of said ring forming a bracingportion for engagement with the inner'face of the rim.

6. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with the wheel-fellv and ademountable rim therefor; of a wed e for securing said rim on saidwheel, sai wedge consisting of a rin of sheet metal of channel-formin-crosssection openm outwardly, an intermediate )ortion of sai ringbeing beveled so as to e adapted for wed ing on agement with the wheelone side tier'eof emg abruptly should'ere' 'and having a flaringportionfor engagement with the side of the rim, and

theother side of said ring forming a bracing portion for engagement withthe inner face oftherim.

7. In a'yehiclewheel, the combinationv wedge for securing said rim onsaid wheel, said wedge consisting of'a sheet-metal piece of channel-formin cross-section opening 1 ing a bracing portion for engagement with theinner face of the rim.

8. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with the wheel-fell and ademountable rim therefor, said "rim being provided withinternalprojeetions near its one edge; of a a wedge for securingsaid rimon said wheel,

said wedge 0I1SiSt1I1g of a transversely split sheet-metalfring offchannel-form in crosssection-opening outwardly and normally engagingthe projections on said rim, an intermg liate portion of said ring beingadapted for aengagementwith the wheel, one side I 1 thereof beingabruptly shouldered and having a flaring portion for engagement with theside of the rim, and the other side of said ring forming a bracingportion for engagemen't With the inner face of the rim.

9. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with the wheel-telly. and ademountable rim therefor, said rim being provided with internalprojections near its one edge; of a wedge for securing said rim onsaid'wheel, said wedge 'consistmg of a transversely split sheet-metalring of channel-form-in crosssection opening outwardly and normallyengaging the projections on said rim, an inwith the wheel, one sidethereof being abruptly shouldered and having a'flaring portion forengagement with the side of the rim, and the other side of said ringforming a bracing portion for engagement with the inner face of therim.-

In testimony whereof, I hereunto ailix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

- RICHARD S. BRYANT.

Witnesses: i

'BRENNAN B. WEs'r, HAROLD E. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may obtained for live cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D, O."

' termediate portion of said ring being beveled so as'to be adapted forwedging engagement

